-Chimney fires can easily occur, sometimes with little or no warning. This is a very dangerous situation that might take place in your home just because of the presence of an indoor fireplace or wood burning stove.

  -Chimney fires can be prevented with just a little work. Burning wood produces smoke; this smoke rises from the chimney and leaves the house and goes into the outside air. The smoke cools quickly and condenses in the chimney's interior. Those particles in the smoke began to bond and adhere to the interior of the chimney forming a flaky or gummy substance known as creosote.  Creosote is the substance that can cause a chimney fire. Creosote is highly flammable and can lead to disastrous circumstances under the right conditions. Fires resulting from creosote are very difficult to control and extinguish. It is very important to keep the amount of creosote in your chimney very low. 

  -All wood is not good for your fireplace. Green or unseasoned wood is the primary cause of creosote. This wood burns at cooler temperatures than seasoned wood thus producing favorable conditions for the smoke to condense quickly in the chimney yielding indoor air hazards and promoting faster creosote buildup.  Green or unseasoned wood, if purchased, is usually cheaper than seasoned wood. Always buy seasoned wood to burn in your fireplace.  Fires produced from seasoned wood burn hotter can reduce creosote buildup.  If you cut your own wood, remember to give it time to become properly seasoned.